What is The Role of Psychological Distress (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress) in the Relationship Between Self-Efficacy and Healthy Habits?

Background: This paper aimed to determine the mediating role of psychological distress between self-efficacy and healthy habit strength, namely physical exercise and vegetable intake. The purpose of this study is to better understand factors that lead to improvements in lifestyle and therapeutic interventions. It was hypothesized that high levels of psychological distress would negatively mediate the relationship between self-efficacy and habit strength. Methods: A cross-sectional design was conducted utilizing DASS-21 (measuring psychological distress), SRBAI (to assess habit strengths), and GSES-6 (for the measurement of self-efficacy) scales. The online questionnaire recruited a sample of 112 participants. Among them, participants averaged 24.45 years of age (M = 24.45, SD = 8.29), 59 were female, 46 were male, 4 were non-binary, and 1 was gender fluid. Data was analyzed through a mediation analysis framework. Results: The overall results did not support the mediation analysis...Show moreBackground: This paper aimed to determine the mediating role of psychological distress between self-efficacy and healthy habit strength, namely physical exercise and vegetable intake. The purpose of this study is to better understand factors that lead to improvements in lifestyle and therapeutic interventions. It was hypothesized that high levels of psychological distress would negatively mediate the relationship between self-efficacy and habit strength. Methods: A cross-sectional design was conducted utilizing DASS-21 (measuring psychological distress), SRBAI (to assess habit strengths), and GSES-6 (for the measurement of self-efficacy) scales. The online questionnaire recruited a sample of 112 participants. Among them, participants averaged 24.45 years of age (M = 24.45, SD = 8.29), 59 were female, 46 were male, 4 were non-binary, and 1 was gender fluid. Data was analyzed through a mediation analysis framework. Results: The overall results did not support the mediation analysis for both models. Although self-efficacy had a significant relationship with psychological distress, psychological distress did not significantly predict habit strength for vegetable intake and physical exercise. Conclusions: The findings of my paper and the literature highlight a complex interplay between self-efficacy, psychological distress, and healthy habit strength. Research emphasizes important targets in clinical and health practices,namely the improvement of self-efficacy and the additional support for people trying to build and engage in healthy habits.Show less

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What is The Role of Psychological Distress (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress) in the Relationship Between Self-Efficacy and Healthy Habits?